136 Cases of Damage Reported Due to Heavy Rain
Flooding Affects Roads, Buildings, and Vehicles Across Gwangju
On the 17th, vehicles and others were stranded, submerged in water on the road in front of the Buk-gu Office building in Yongbong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju. Photo provided by a reader
Sudden heavy rainfall caused flooding of roads and buildings throughout downtown Gwangju, resulting in a series of damages.
According to the city of Gwangju and other authorities on July 17, a heavy rain warning was issued for all areas of Gwangju at 10:10 a.m. As of 12:30 p.m., a total of 136 rain-related damages had been reported, including 87 cases of road flooding and 38 cases of building flooding.
Extreme rainfall in a short period led to repeated incidents of vehicles being stranded as roads became submerged. At around 12:25 p.m. that day, three vehicles, including a taxi, were submerged in rainwater on the road in front of the Buk-gu Office building in Yongbong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju.
Additionally, a truck at the Buk-gu Office intersection and another truck on the road in front of Hyojuk Public Parking Lot were also stranded after their engines stalled due to rainwater. Fire authorities responded to the reports, controlled traffic in the area, and carried out drainage operations, restoring normal conditions within 30 minutes.
Earlier, at around 11:36 a.m., a vehicle was flooded near an apartment complex in Jinwol-dong, Nam-gu, and two people were rescued by fire authorities. At 11:37 a.m., another person was rescued from a flooded vehicle in Docheon-dong, Gwangsan-gu.
Disaster prevention authorities are controlling areas such as the Buk-gu Office intersection, the main gate of Chonnam National University, the College of Agriculture, and the area around Munheung-dong Catholic Church, and have repeatedly sent safety messages to drivers advising them to take detours.
In addition, due to the heavy rain, access has been restricted at nine underpasses and riverside roads in Gwangju, including Nongseong Underpass, Juknim Underpass, Useok Underpass, and Yongjeon Underpass.
The rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning, also caused power outages.
At around 10:50 a.m., a lightning strike caused a power outage at Gwangju Technical High School. Although power was restored within an hour, the school decided it would be difficult to resume classes and sent students home.
Meanwhile, as of noon, the highest hourly rainfall was recorded in Naju at 86 mm, followed by Gwangju Pungam at 66 mm, Hampyeong at 45 mm, and Damyang at 32 mm.
As of the morning, the cumulative rainfall was provisionally identified as 120.5 mm in Naju, 76.5 mm in Gwangju, 63 mm in Bongsan, Damyang, and 42 mm in Sijong, Yeongam.
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